Virendra Singh Rawat / Lucknow
The Uttar Pradesh government is expediting the 1,320 megawatt (mw) thermal power project in Etah district.
The Jawaharpur project, comprising two units of 660 mw each, will help UP in meeting the rising power demand, which has already breached the level of 26,000 mw in the summer season.
The state has estimated to spend Rs 10,500 crore in the greenfield thermal power project. The plant has already been delayed by more than two years now.
M Devraj, who is the chairman of both the apex state power utilities viz. UP Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) and UP Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (UPRVUNL), has issued stern warning to officials to speed up the project for commissioning.
Jawaharpur Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited, which is setting up the 1,320 mw plant, is a 100 percent subsidiary of UPRVUNL. The plant, which was initially estimated to be synchronised in 2021, witnessed inordinate delays compounded by the impact of the lockdown.
Later, the plant was expected to be synchronised by April 2023, however, the fresh timeline was also missed.
The Jawaharpur plant is being equipped with Super Critical Technology. It will be fed with coal from Saharpur Jamarpani Coal Block in Jharkhand to be developed by UPRVUNL. A ‘Bridge Linkage’ for the project has been granted by the coal ministry.
Bridge Linkage acts like a short term linkage to bridge the gap between coal requirement of a thermal power plant of central and state public sector undertakings (PSU) and the commencement of production from the linked allotted coal mine/block. The water requirement of the project will be fulfilled by Lower Ganga Canal.
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The state is confabulating with the Railways for coal supply for the project to save on cost.